Dual-Reciever Bumper and Cargo Carrier for RV

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This customer wanted a twin-receiver cargo carrier for his RV trailer.  There was no practical way to mount 2 reciever hitches to the trailer frame without just building a new bumper, so I first I built a new, heavier-duty bumper with a pair of 2x2 hitch recievers and welded that to the trailer frame, then I built the carrier to fit the new dual hitch spacing.Materials used were 4x4x3/16 tube for the bumper, 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4 tube for the recievers, 2x2x1/4 for the hitch tubes, 2x2x3/16 angle for the carrier platform frame, 1x1x3/16 angle for the carrier rails and floor crossmembers and 3/4" x 1/2-lb/sf expanded metal for the floor and sides.  The carrier dimensions are 6'x2'x15".  Primer and paint are Rustoleum rattle-can.The customer also wanted to mount a bicycle carrier he had to the cargo carrier.  The bicycle carrier used an 1-1/4 hitch tube, so I welded an 1-1/2 x .120 sq tube under the center of the cargo carrier so he could slide his bike carrier into it and pin it with a 1/2" hitch pin.  5/8" hitch pins were used for the bumper recievers.Machines used were the Evolution Rage 3 saw to cut the miters, Millermatic 350P & Reach feeder with 70-S6 and 98/2 Ar/Oxy in pulse to weld the receiver tubes to the bumper, Millermatic Passport with .035 fluxcore to weld bumper to trailer frame on-site, and Millermatic 175 with .030 fluxcore to weld the angle frame and expanded metal.  No reason for using so many machines, other than that's what happened to be handiest at the time.Sorry I didn't take any in-progress build pics this time, just the finished project installed on the trailer.After removing old bumper.New bumper/hitches welded onto trailer and leveling jacks re-mounted under new bumper.The reciever hitches and pins.  I like these pins with the big d-ring pulls, very easy to operate.  They were a good price at Fastenal too....and the cargo carrier, with bike carrier attached.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:You seem to have established a good niche with the RV thing.Looks good.Always noticed the RV crowd likes to pile everything but the kitchen sink on the things"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:the snowbirds can be very good customers, got $ and very specific wants... and do classy work like U do Desert and they seek ya' out. We get guys here in Yuma with a 45' Prevost or MCI (value about $3-400K at least)... and towing a30'+ fully enclosed box trailer behind it?  Whatisinit??? sheesh.  I don't know zactlee the total limit in length but they're close.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:THAT is AWESOME!   Would love to see more pics if you have them....Curious about the load factor...  What do you think is the maximum for such a Large carrier?  Also, with the bikes extending that 'even further' to the rear, would that not create a HUGE amount of stress on those top welded recievers and Bumper?Cheers,/J...Miller Diversion 165120 amp Buzz BoxVictor Oxy/Ace Oxy/LPGSmith "Little" Oxy/LPGHypertherm Powermax 30Lot's of Misc. tools n' crap....
Reply:Originally Posted by PapaLionthe snowbirds can be very good customers, got $ and very specific wants... and do classy work like U do Desert and they seek ya' out. We get guys here in Yuma with a 45' Prevost or MCI (value about $3-400K at least)... and towing a30'+ fully enclosed box trailer behind it?  Whatisinit??? sheesh.  I don't know zactlee the total limit in length but they're close.
Reply:Originally Posted by jmanTHAT is AWESOME!   Would love to see more pics if you have them....Curious about the load factor...  What do you think is the maximum for such a Large carrier?  Also, with the bikes extending that 'even further' to the rear, would that not create a HUGE amount of stress on those top welded recievers and Bumper?Cheers,/J...
Reply:Nice job SoCaldesertrider! Gonna make one for the TC??200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:I like the duel receivers which should allow it to be loaded a little more haphazardly whereas the single receiver carrier would need to more balanced on center. It looks like a well thought out design. It looks plenty strong. How much does it weigh?
Reply:Thanks for the comments guys. Forhire, I calculated the carrier weight around 140 lbs, if I remember correctly.  I didn't weigh it, but it is heavy and definately a 2 man operation to get it loaded into the recievers.  I didn't weigh the bumper either but I picked it up and moved it around easily by myself before mounting it on the trailer.  The dual recievers do make it fit very stable on the trailer, no rocking or wagging at all, as found with most single-reciever carriers.  I was very happy with how sturdy it was once we got it all on there.Hey Bert, good to see you here from RV.Net!    I sold my truck camper, but if anyone from the RV forum wants a carrier built, I'll gladly build one!Danny, I mistakenly called those leveling jacks, but they are actually stabilizer jacks, so all they do is put a little upward pressure on the back of the trailer to keep it from rockin and rollin when ppl get to movin about inside the trailer.  They were mounted in the same spot on the factory thin-wall bumper, so I'm sure they'll be fine on the new thicker-wall tube.  Yes, it did look like they had seen a little 'skid plate' action a time or two before.J-Man, yes there exists the potential to load alot of weight there.  I cautioned the customer about loading too much weight so far behind the trailer axles and how that can affect how the trailer handles and the hitch weight to trailer weight ratio change from placing a load at the far end of the 'lever'.  Sorry, I didn't take many pics and none of the build process, as I sometimes do.  These are all I have.PapaLion, I think the length limit in CA and AZ is 65' for any vehicle combination.  Having worked a few months part time at a local RV resort, I've seen many high dollar motor coaches pulling big enclosed trailers that were likely well beyond the max length limit.  The police don't seem to mess with the older RV crowd like they do the commercial truckers.  RV'rs can get away with just about anything as long as they 'appear' safe on the road.Samm, yeah, they like to load 'em up, I agree with ya there!Last edited by DesertRider33; 04-20-2010 at 10:01 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Nice Work